National Geographic raises awareness of games portal

WASHINGTON: National Geographic is conducting media and blog outreach, as well as social media promotions to build awareness of its new casual gaming portal, National Geographic Ventures, launched July 15.

The Web site contains a number of casual games, which require less commitment than traditional video games, and a community where consumers can create online identities, chat, and compete against each other. Many of the games have environmental- and history-based themes identified with the National Geographic brand.

The organization, aided by mPRm, is reaching out to both consumer and trade outlets that cover gaming, as well as gaming bloggers and Web sites, said Ellen Stanley, VP of communications for the National Geographic Society. It is also using its presence on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace to inform consumers about updates to the site.

Chris Mate, VP and GM of National Geographic Games (a division of National Geographic Ventures), added that the games, which mix entertainment and education, and the awareness effort target a broad range of consumers. But he added that the brand extension is an opportunity for National Geographic to provide a “family-style gaming experience” that reaches both adults and young consumers who may not be familiar with the brand.

“If you do too much teaching and preaching, you run the risk of losing the audience,” he said. "We want to deliver a solid National Geographic message and we think we've accomplished that with what we have so far.”

National Geographic Ventures, a taxable subsidiary of the nonprofit National Geographic Society, works with mPRm for corporate communications, but does not employ an AOR.